Businessman accuses Cordova mayor of harassment

A BUSINESSMAN, who owns a 4,000-square meter property in Barangay Alegria, Cordova town in Mactan Island, is again turning to the Visayas Ombudsman for help after he claimed to being harassed yet again by Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy.

Mario Cabahug, president of Miracle Art Museum in Barangay Gabi, Cordova, said he would file another complaint next week accusing the mayor of harassment at the Visayas Ombudsman.

This will be the third harassment complaint that Cabahug filed against Sitoy at the Visayas Ombudsman.

He filed the first in 2011 and the second in 2013. Both complaints are still at the Ombudsman.

Cabahug, however, decided to file another complaint against the mayor at the Ombudsman after a fence on his property was again destroyed last July 17, 2016 by unidentified persons.

Cabahug said he suspected Sitoy to be behind the destruction of his property.

Mayor Sitoy, in a phone interview, however, denied Cabahug’s allegations.

He said he had no knowledge about Cabahug’s accusations against him.

“Let him file a case wherever he wants, and I will face him,” Sitoy said referring to the Cabahug’s plan to file another complaint at the Visayas Ombudsman.

Cabahug said the reason for his filing the complaint was that the Alegria barangay captain would not give him a barangay permit, which would be needed for his business permit.

Cabahug’s troubles started when he developed the shoreline of his property in 2011.

He said Sitoy warned him that his shoreline developments were illegal.

Cabahug said he was planning to develop the area to cultivate bakasi and other seafoods.

Since then, he claimed the Cordova government would not grant him a business permit, leading him to file the complaints at the Visayas Ombudsman.

Cabahug claimed that he found out that Mayor Sitoy was allegedly planning a joint venture with Korean investors and Cabahug’s property was allegedly included in the project.

Cabahug also sought the help of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7).

Then DENR-7 regional director Isabelo Montejo ruled last year that Cabahug’s improvements on his property were not illegal.